Automatic vacuum creator or air eliminator



Sept. 3, 1935. o. H. KLOTZ AUTOMATIC VACUUM CREATOROR AIR ELIMINATOR Filed April 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 3, 1935. O. H, KLQTZ 2,013,613

AUTOMATIC VACUUM CREATOR OR AIR ELIMINATOR Filed April 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

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A TTORNE Y.

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 AUTOMATIC VACUUM CREATOR 0R AIR ELIMINATOR Otto H. Klotz, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 10, 1931, Serial No. 529,120

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in steam using heating systems. The object of this invention is to provide novel arrangements for automatically creating a vacuum in a heating system or eliminating air from a heating system.

More particularly, the object is to provide an automatic vacuum creator adapted to receive water pressure as a motive fluid. The automatic vacuum creator is constructed to operate only on a predetermined increase or decrease of vacuum in the heating system, and has an adjustable member to regulate the amount of increase or decrease of vacuum. It also employs this water pressure to seal the heating system, and to operate the discharge valve. Italso employes an ejector, having a controlling member adjustable to vary the effective area of its exhaust nozzle and delivery tube.

other novel features of construction will hereinafter appear in the detailed description and the appended claims. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of it, which, in practice, will give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to be understood that this embodiment is typical only. The various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a heating system embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the automatic vacuum creator with other features of the invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the ejector adjustable means.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of Figure 2. Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings:

In Figure 1, I have shown a typical layout of a heating system in which the steam from the boiler I, flows through the steam main 2 and branch pipes 3 to a desired number of radiators, three being shown for the purpose of illustration, namely 4, 5, and 6. The condensation from the radiator 4 is by a pipe I connected to a return main 8, and from the radiator 5 by a return pipe 9, and from the radiator 6 by a return pipe I0. All air and condensation passes through the branch pipes l, 9, and I0, and through the return main 8 to its lowest point, where the air is separated from the water. The

air is ejected, and the water returned to boiler.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 2. H designates a controlling valve which is connected with a dirt strainer I2 of any conventional type; The dirt strainer I2 is connected with an ejector I3 which utilizes the energy of'the pressure of the water supply to create a vacuum. The ejector operates over a wide range of pressures due to the employment of a novel adjustable member I4, which is provided with the stepped faces I5, which progressively decrease in diameter toward the forward end of the adjustable member. This adjustable member I4 an-' swers two purposes. I

The stem extends through the exhauster nozzle I6, forming a hollow stream which will create the same amount of vacuum as a solid stream but'uses a materially smaller volume of water. The stem of the adjustable member l imay ex-* tend through both the exhauster nozzle I6 and the delivery tube I1." In other words, when the area of the exhauster nozzle I6 is reduced by the stem of F the adjustable member M, the area in the delivery tube IT is also reduced, thus providing for a proper reduction in both the-exhauster nozzle I6 and the delivery tube I! to accomplish the best results under all conditions. As illustrated, the stem of the adjustable member I4 is of differential diameters as shown at l8, I9, 20,-and2I.

The ejector I3, has threaded connection with the casing of a 'check'valve 25, having a metal plunger 26, having holes 21 drilled through it to admit air from-the heating system to the delivery tube Il. 28 is a disc held down on the seat of the check valve 25 by the plunger 26. The water passing through the exhauster nozzle I6 and the delivery tube I! creates a vacuum in the check valve 25, lifting the plunger 26 and the disc 28, allowing the air to exhaust from the heating system through the test valve 29, thermostatic trap 30, through the pipe 3| through the fitting 32, and pipe 33, through the check valve 25, delivery tube I1, discharge'valve 22; and pipe 23 to the drain 24. The fitting 32 communicates with a vacuum'chamber 34 in which is secured an air tight metal bellows 35. The flanged casing 36 is secured to the flanges of the bars 31, see Figure 4, and the bottom of these bars are connected with the discharge valve 22. The discharge valve is provided with an upwardly extending threaded stem which receives a nut 38. 39 is a packing gland which may be omitted if desired. The disc 40 of the discharge valve 22 has its stem extending upwardly through an opening 42 of a valve stem frame 43, and is provided with nuts 44 in threaded engagement therewith above the lower wall of the valve stem frame 43 and with nuts 45 below the bottom wall of the valve stem frame 43, certain of said nuts acting as lock nuts, as is evident.

The bellows 35 is provided with a stem 46, which depends downwardly, and is in threaded engagement with the upper wall of the valve stem frame 43, and is fixed in position by a lock nut 41. The stem is also provided with an adjustable nut 48 serving as an adjustable abutment for a spring abutment 49, against which abuts one end of a spring 50, the opposite end of which abuts against the inwardly deflected bottom of the bar 31, through which the stem 46 of the bellows 35 extends.

To adjust the device to automatically create a vacuum, the test valve 29 is closed and the controlling valve H is opened. The tension of the spring 50 is adjusted to overbalance the water pressure, and the position of the nuts 44, are adjusted to close the discharge valve 22 at the desired amount of increase of vacuum. The controlling valve H is then closed and the air valve 52 is then opened until the arrow of the gauge goes down to the desired amount of decrease of vacuum. The air valve 52 is then closed. The nuts 45 are then adjusted so they touch the valve stem frame 43. The test valve 29 and the controlling valve I l are then opened. The automatic vacuum creator will then place the entire heating system under the desired predetermined increase and decrease of vacuum.

This automatic vacuum creator is so constructed that there is no water'pressure in the outlet side of the discharge valve 22. Therefore, no valve stem gland is necessary. The vacuum in the chamber 34 pulls the stem 4| up to the discharge valve 22, and, as the disc 40 is drawn up close to a closing position, thevalve opening becomes somewhat restricted. The water pressure at the bottom side of the disc 40 increases, and the stem 4|, being free, the discharge valve 22 closes silently. The water pressure then holds the discharge valve 22 closed until the vacuum is lost to the extent of the predetermined amount of decrease of vacuum. Then, the spring 50 will also act to overbalance the pressure of the water supply, and the discharge valve 22 will open. If, now, the heating system is to be operated above atmospheric pressure, the automatic vacuum creating device will exhaust the air from the heating system when the vapor in the return main 8 comes in contact with the thermostatic trap 30, and the thermostatic trap will close, thus preventing any vapor from leaving the system. The device continues creating vacuum until the predetermined increase of vacuum has been reached in the vacuum chamber 34, then the device again shuts off.

When the predetermined amount of vacuum has been reached, the automatic vacuum controlling membercloses the discharge valve 22. The energy possessed by the water pressure is exerted on the plunger 26, pressing the disc 28 'down on the seat of the check valve 25, thereby sealing the heating system with said water pressure.

Therefore, the system is in no way connected direct with the atmosphere. The device prevents the air from returning into thesystem by means ofa fluid tight seal, eliminatingthe difficult air sea];

' The automatic vacuum creating device may also be used as an air eliminator, if it is decided not to take advantage of the exhauster feature. This may be accomplished by closing the water supply valve ll, releasing the tension of the spring 50, and turning the nuts 44, so that the spring metal bellows 35, which also acts as a spring, will pull the valve stem 4| up and close the valve 22 with a slight tension. Then turn the nuts 45 up tight against the frame 43. -When the heating system is put into operation and steam is being created, as soon as the steam pressure becomes great enough to overbalance this slight tension,

this steam pressure will force the air in the syscools down to the extent that the pressure is not great enough to overbalance this slight tension of the bellows 35, the bellows will act and close the valve 22, and, as the steam condenses, a vacuum will be formed in the chamber 34, thereby pulling the valve closed tight by atmospheric pressure on the opposite side of the bellows 35. The amount of pull is multiplied according to the diameter of the bellows.

On one end of the bellows is a diaphragm connected thereto, the other end of said bellows being connected to its casing. This diaphragm need not necessarily be connected with a bellows, but may be connected to its casing without a bellows.

Special attention is directed to the automatic controlled discharge valve mechanism shown in Figure 2,-which will not operate with a slight change of vacuum in the heating system. Assuming that we have 20 inches of vacuum, for example in the heating system, the starting of the fire under the boiler creates vapor. As this vapor increases, the vacuum will decrease. On mild days, this vapor will not be so great as to reduce the vacuum in the heating system to the low starting point. "Assuming that the low starting point is 5 inches of vacuum, the vacuum may decrease during the day to inches of vacuum. At night, when the fire is banked, less vapor is carried and the vacuum increases somewhat higher than 10 inches. By the use of the'adjustable, automatically controlled discharge valve shown in Figure 2, the device will operate only when the predetermined low point has been reached.

It will now be apparent that I have devised new and useful improvements in an automatic vacuum creator, which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof, which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that this embodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. r

Having thus described 'my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:- 7 I 1. In an air eliminator,- a conduit having a pressure or a vacuum therein, a discharge valve having an air intake at its inlet end to which said conduit is connected, and having a valve, means to seat and seal the intake valve with waterpressure when a predetermined vacuum is received in said conduit, and a pressure regulator communicating with said conduit and; controlling said discharge valve, said pressure regulator being acted on in one direction by atmospheric pressure and in the opposite direction by the pressure or vacuum in said conduit to eliminate air through said discharge valve.

2. In an air eliminator, a conduit having a pressure or a vacuum therein, a discharge valve having an air intake at its inlet end to which said conduit is connected, said air intake having a valve seated and sealed by live water pressure, a pressure regulator communicating with said conduit and controlling said discharge valve, said pressure regulator being acted on in one direction by atmospheric pressure and in the opposite direction by the pressure or vacuum in said conduit to eliminate air through said discharge valve, and an adjustable tension device for said pressure regulator.

3. In an air eliminator, a conduit having a pressure or vacuum therein, a discharge valve having an air intake at its inlet to which said conduit is connected said air intake having a controlling valve, means to seat and seal said valve with water pressure, a pressure regulator subjected on one side to the pressure or vacuum in said conduit and on its opposite side to a constant pressure, and a connection from said pressure regulator to said discharge valve and operative on a determined movement of said pressure regulator to actuate said discharge valve and control elimination of air from said conduit.

4. In a device of the character described, a conduit having therein a pressure or a vacuum, a discharge valve having an air intake at its inlet communicating with said conduit, means to automatically' seal said air intake with water pressure when a predetermined vacuum is reached in said conduit, and a pressure regulator subjected on one side to the pressure or vacuum in said conduit and on its opposite side to a constant pressure and connected with said discharge valve to permit the latter to open by gravity and its own weight, and operative to move said discharge valve to closing position only after a predetermined movement of said pressure regulator.

5. In a device of the character described, a conduit having therein a pressure or a vacuum, a discharge valve having an air intake at its inlet with which said conduit communicates, said air intake having a valve seated by water pressure, a pressure regulator controlled by the pressure or vacuum in said conduit and controlling said discharge valve, and an ejector discharging into said discharge valve.

6. In a device of the character described, a conduit having therein a pressure or a vacuum, a discharge valve having an air intake at its inlet with which said conduit communicates, said air intake having a valve seated by water pressure, a pressure regulator controlled by the pressure or vacuum in said conduit and controlling said discharge valve, an ejector discharging into said discharge valve and means to control introduction of water to said ejector.

7. In a device of the character described, a conduit having a pressure or vacuum therein, a discharge valve, an ejector discharging into the inlet of said discharge valve and having a pipe leading to said conduit, a check valve in said pipe on the pressure side of said discharge valve said check valve being seated and sealed by water pressure, and a pressure regulator controlled by the pressure or vacuum in said conduit.

8. In a device of the character described, a conduit having a pressure or vacuum therein, a discharge valve having an air intake at its inlet connected with said conduit and seated and sealed by water pressure when a predetermined vacuum is reached in said conduit, a pressure regulator controlled by the pressure or vacuum in said conduit and having a stem, said discharge valve having a stem, spaced members on one of said stems, and a connection from the other of said stems positioned between said spaced members.

OTTO H. KLOTZ. 

